Teen Drivers Take Note

ANN LANDERS Syndicated Columnist

July 22, 1998|ANN LANDERS Syndicated Columnist

Dear Ann Landers: My son just got his driver's license. He is walking on air. However, the thought of him driving by himself scares me to death. Do you have any advice that might help open his eyes to the dangers? - Scared Mom in Seattle Dear Seattle: An article in the June 1998 issue of Reader's Digest had some shocking information on teen drivers. Here's what the article said:

Crashes killed more than 6,300 teen-agers last year. Most of them were inexperienced or reckless drivers. And the reckless drivers weren't necessarily the ones to die. Often, it was their friends.

One was a 15-year-old boy who was ``car-surfing'' - riding on the roof of a speeding car. The boy and slipped off. He died in the hospital. The 18-year-old female driver pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and was given five years' probation and 200 hours of community service.

In another story, a 19-year-old college freshman was killed when he and a friend offered to be designated drivers at a fraternity party. The friend wanted to impress the fraternity boys and began ``dinking'' - jerking the steering wheel back and forth, causing the car to swerve. The roads were wet, and he lost control. The 19-year-old was killed, and another suffered brain damage.

Teen-agers need to understand that reckless behavior not only risks their personal safety but could also cause the death of a best friend or put a girlfriend in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

Here are some guidelines that may help:

Do not get into any car where there are more passengers than there are seat belts.

Do not jerk the steering wheel to make the car swerve back and forth, and refuse to drive with anyone who thinks this is fun.

Do not allow anyone to grab the steering wheel while you are driving.

Do not tailgate, cut off or bump another car, and do not drive with someone who does.

Never let a passenger car-surf by riding on the outside of a moving car.

And now this is Ann talking. Do not get into a car if the driver has been drinking ``a couple of beers'' (it's usually more than a couple) or has had a joint or two. Even if he or she insists, ``I'm perfectly OK,'' and seems so, that person's vision and sense of timing may be impaired just enough to put you in the hospital - or the cemetery.